From Your Garden to Your Table

Edible gardening has been a growing trend in the past few years. With everyone going green and eating organic, edible gardening is an inexpensive way to do so.  While lots of herbs and vegetables can be easy to grow here in the Midwest, it can also be tricky.

Chicagoland is in Zone 5, not only meaning that we’re somewhere in the middle, but that not everything can handle our drastic temperature changes. This also means that not all edibles are perennial here.  Here are some of the best herbs and vegetables to grow in our region, as well as the best to grow for your culinary needs.

The best perennial herbs for the Chicago area are chives, lavender, mint, chamomile, oregano and tarragon.  A lot of these, however, can be quite invasive when planted in the ground. To prevent them from invading space, plant the herbs in a sunken container or in an area you don’t have to mow or maintain.  Another solution is to create a container herb garden. 

Creating a container garden also allows you to use annual herbs that you may need for your cooking.  Some of these annual herbs that are culinary necessities are dill, basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley, rosemary and sage.

Vegetables in zone 5 can be even trickier.  With the general first “frost free” day being May 30, planting tender vegetables out like tomatoes and peppers can be risky.  For this reason many people start their vegetables from seed inside. By starting vegetables indoors, much like we do here at the greenhouse, you help ensure a better harvest.  If you don’t have room to start seeds in your home, you can always plant the vegetables we start out in your garden, but towards the end of May. If a late frost does occur, covering tender plants with landscaping cloth, lightweight dish towel or bed sheet is the best solution.

There are, however, some vegetables that can be planted before the last frost.  Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, peas and onions are just a few examples of what you can be planting in early spring.

If you don’t have a space to plant vegetables, you can always create a raised bed or plant your vegetables in containers.  Just remember that with certain vegetables, like tomatoes, you need a large pot for just one plant.  It may seem ridiculous when you first plant a little tomato plant in a huge pot, but it will definitely grow into it!

With a spring that seems to be lagging, vegetable gardening may be the last thing on your mind. Our veggies have been started, however, and are already growing.  When you purchase and plant your vegetables, just remember to watch the evening lows to ensure safe and happy plants!

To learn more about edible gardening in the suburbs, come to our free class on Saturday, April 27 at 10:00 a.m.

Happy Planting!